What to wear
Germans wear their corporate dress very well and prefer to look formal in their corporate attire. Men are expected to always be in dark-colored conservative suits over white button-up shirts. White shirts should come with a tie and a pair of formal shoes. Females on the other hand are also seen on dark suits, white blouses, or conservative dresses with appropriate knee-level length. Women should avoid wearing heavy makeup and too much jewelry. When in a meeting, always wait for your counterpart to remove their suits first before you do, this is a sign of courtesy. These types of clothing may be observed even in warm weather and do not lose their fashion throughout the year.

What to bring
Germans treat their business cards as confidential and personal items. Cards are not given out freely to anyone you meet, but only to those you want to build a business relationship with. If you think your meeting counterpart would be someone you will be transacting with for a long time, then make sure you have a nicely designed business card to give out.

The locals who do business also expect a meeting to be well organized and be done on time. Make sure you are able to present your agenda for the meeting well to manage the use of your counterparts’ time. Bring the necessary materials you will be needing for your presentation and present them in an orderly manner. Germans take business seriously and would appreciate that you do too. If you plan to bring gifts, don’t bring huge expensive gifts. A simple gift representing your company, like quality pens or notebooks may serve as a really nice present to your counterpart.

What to expect
Expect Germans to be serious and formal in doing business. They value punctuality and directness in business dealings. When meeting a German, always be on time or arrive minutes early. If you are caught in a situation that might delay you, always inform ahead of time. Do not inform cancellation or delays at the last minute for this may greatly offend your local counterpart. Another thing you should expect is German directness. Locals do not like you to explain with so many unnecessary details. When a problem is about to happen, tell it immediately and directly, don’t beat around the bush, and try to sugarcoat a bad situation.

What you should know
Business culture in Germany strictly observes a well-defined hierarchy. They prefer an organized and regulated structure to draw the lines between people and those who have authority over others. The locals value position, power, and order in businesses so don’t expect that low-ranking positions may voice out directly to leaders and superiors.

Women play an essential role in Germany’s workforce. Germany is actually the third country in Europe with the most employed women in the labor force. Since women in Germany are also well-educated, they are also able to get high-ranking positions and are not discriminated against during the hiring processes of companies. So female expats, you have a very wide variety of opportunities waiting for you in Germany!

When it comes to corporate leaves, the following are applied in Germany: